Method and apparatus for providing arthroscopic microfracture therapy

ABSTRACT

A method for providing therapy to a patient, the method comprising:
         providing microfracture therapy to the acetabular cup of the patient, wherein providing microfracture therapy to the acetabular cup of the patient comprises forming at least one hole extending from the acetabular shelf to the cortical bone bed of the acetabular cup, such that blood may flow from the cancellous bone underlying the cortical bone bed to the surface of the cortical bone bed, whereby to form a blood clot at the surface of the cortical bone bed.

REFERENCE TO PENDING PRIOR PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application:

(i) claims benefit of prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/827,910, filed May 28, 2013 by Pivot Medical, Inc. and JulianNikolchev et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ARTHROSCOPICMICROFRACTURE THERAPY; and

(ii) claims benefit of prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser.No. 61/919,337, filed Dec. 20, 2013 by Pivot Medical, Inc. and JamesFlom et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ARTHROSCOPICMICROFRACTURE THERAPY.

The two (2) above-identified patent applications are hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for providing medicaltherapy in general, and more particularly to methods and apparatus forproviding arthroscopic microfracture therapy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Articular cartilage is a smooth, resilient tissue which covers theopposing ends of bones and facilitates the smooth movement of the bonesrelative to one another. However, when articular cartilage is damaged(e.g., through injury or prolonged wear), subsequent motion of the bonestends to increase that damage, ultimately causing the cartilage to wearaway completely. When this occurs, the bones rub directly against oneanother, typically resulting in substantial pain for the patient andreduced mobility of the joint. In many cases, such damage to articularcartilage can lead to osteoarthritis.

Microfracture therapy is an orthopedic procedure which can help torestore articular cartilage. More particularly, microfracture therapycreates tiny fractures in the cortical bone bed disposed immediatelybelow the damaged articular cartilage. In cases where the nativecartilage has been damaged beyond repair or has been surgically removed,microfracture therapy can be applied to the exposed cortical bone bed.These micro fractures permit blood to seep out of the underlyingcancellous bone to the surface of the cortical bone bed and essentiallycreate blood clots which release cartilage-building cells. Thesecartilage-building cells then result in the formation of replacementhyaline-like cartilage, fibrous tissue and/or fibrocartilage.

In addition to the foregoing, microfracture therapy can also be used toenhance the attachment (or re-attachment) of soft tissue to bone, e.g.,to attach (or re-attach) a ligament to bone or to attach (or re-attach)a labrum, labral/chondral junction (i.e., the “transition zone” betweencartilage and the labrum) or cartilage to bone. In this situation, themicrofracture therapy creates tiny fractures in the cortical bone beddisposed immediately below the location where the soft tissue is to beattached to (or re-attached to) the bone, thereby permitting blood toseep out of the underlying cancellous bone, essentially creating bloodclots between the soft tissue and the bone which release restorativecells at the surgical site.

To date, microfracture therapy is generally performed using a small,sharp pick or awl to create the small microfracture holes in thecortical bone bed. However, such picks or awls are generally used bydriving them longitudinally, e.g., with a hammer or mallet, therebyrequiring substantially direct linear access to the bone surface whichis to receive the microfracture therapy. Furthermore, where themicrofracture must be created in a bone surface which is notsubstantially aligned with the angle of access, it can be difficult togenerate the forces required for the pick or awl to penetrate the hardcortical bone and release blood from the underlying cancellous bone.

In many cases, e.g., for certain sites on the lower femur, such directlinear access to the microfracture site may be readily available.However, in other cases, intervening anatomical structures can make itdifficult or impossible to obtain direct linear access to themicrofracture site, and hence can make it difficult or impossible to usea conventional pick or awl to provide microfracture therapy to the bone.This is particularly true where the microfracture surgery is to beperformed arthroscopically. By way of example but not limitation, it canbe difficult or impossible to arthroscopically provide microfracturetherapy to the acetabular cup of the hip using a conventional pick orawl, given the anatomical constraints typically imposed in arthroscopichip surgery.

The present invention is intended to provide a novel method andapparatus for providing arthroscopic microfracture therapy, particularlyin locations where it is difficult or impossible to utilize aconventional pick or awl in the microfracture therapy.

The present invention is also intended to provide a novel method andapparatus for securing soft tissue to bone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a novel method and apparatus forproviding arthroscopic microfracture therapy, particularly in locationswhere it is difficult or impossible to utilize a conventional pick orawl in the microfracture therapy.

The present invention also provides a novel method and apparatus forsecuring soft tissue to bone.

In one preferred form of the invention, there is provided, a method forproviding therapy to a patient, the method comprising:

providing microfracture therapy to the acetabular cup of the patient,wherein providing microfracture therapy to the acetabular cup of thepatient comprises forming at least one hole extending from theacetabular shelf to the cortical bone bed of the acetabular cup, suchthat blood may flow from the cancellous bone underlying the corticalbone bed to the surface of the cortical bone bed, whereby to form ablood clot at the surface of the cortical bone bed.

In another preferred form of the invention, there is provided, a methodfor attaching soft tissue to bone, the method comprising:

forming at least one hole extending from a first side of the bone to asecond side of the bone, wherein the second side of the bone comprises acortical bone bed which is to receive the soft tissue, such that bloodmay flow from the cancellous bone underlying the cortical bone bed tothe surface of the cortical bone bed, whereby to form a blood clot atthe surface of the cortical bone bed; and

attaching the soft tissue to the second side of the bone at the corticalbone bed.

In another preferred form of the invention, there is provided, apparatusfor providing microfracture therapy to the acetabular cup of a patient,the apparatus comprising:

a drill guide comprising a distal end through which a drill bit may bepassed; and

an aiming guide attached to the drill guide and having a distal endaligned with, but spaced from, the distal end of the drill guide;

wherein the distal end of the drill guide is spaced from the distal endof the aiming guide by a distance large enough to accommodate theportion of the acetabular cup which is to receive the microfracturetherapy and the soft tissue adjacent to the portion of the acetabularcup which is to receive the microfracture therapy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and features of the present invention will bemore fully disclosed or rendered obvious by the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which is tobe considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein likenumbers refer to like parts, and further wherein:

FIGS. 1-7 are schematic views showing a novel approach for providingmicrofracture therapy to the rim of the acetabular cup and forre-attaching soft tissue to the acetabular cup;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are schematic views showing another approach for providingmicrofracture therapy to the rim of the acetabular cup and forre-attaching soft tissue to the acetabular cup;

FIGS. 10-17 are schematic views showing still another approach forproviding microfracture therapy to the rim of the acetabular cup and forre-attaching soft tissue to the acetabular cup;

FIG. 18 is a schematic view showing how a biological substance may bedisposed between the detached tissue and the cortical bone bed of theacetabular cup;

FIGS. 19 and 20 are schematic views showing yet another approach forproviding microfracture therapy to the rim of the acetabular cup and forre-attaching soft tissue to the acetabular cup;

FIG. 21 is a schematic view showing another approach for providingmicrofracture therapy to the rim of the acetabular cup and forre-attaching soft tissue to the acetabular cup; and

FIG. 22 is a schematic view showing still another approach for providingmicrofracture therapy to the rim of the acetabular cup and forre-attaching soft tissue to the acetabular cup.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a novel method and apparatus forproviding arthroscopic microfracture therapy. The novel apparatuspermits microfracture therapy to be applied to a bone surface even wherethat bone surface is set at an angle to the axis of approach and/orwhere it might otherwise be difficult or impossible to use aconventional pick or awl to provide the microfracture therapy.

The present invention also provides a novel method and apparatus forsecuring soft tissue to bone.

The present invention will hereinafter be discussed in the context ofre-attaching a detached labrum, detached cartilage and/or detachedlabral/chondral junction to the rim of the acetabular cup, with suchre-attachment being accomplished with the provision of microfracturetherapy and with minimal interference with the articular surfaces of thehip joint. It should be appreciated, however, that the present inventionmay also be provided as “stand-alone” microfracture therapy (i.e., notcombined with soft tissue re-attachment) and/or the present inventionmay be used in other joints and/or on other bone surfaces.

Looking first at FIG. 1, there is shown an acetabular cup 5 and afemoral head 10. Acetabular cup 5 is characterized by a rim 15 and anacetabular shelf 16. Also shown is detached tissue 17 (e.g., labrum 20,labral/chondral junction 25 and/or cartilage 30) spaced from rim 15 ofacetabular cup 5, whereby to expose cortical bone bed 31. In accordancewith the present invention, a curved drill guide 35 having a distal end36 is used to position a flexible drill bit 40 against the outsidesurface of rim 15 of acetabular cup 5 (i.e., against acetabular shelf 16of acetabular cup 5), such that flexible drill bit 40 may form a hole 45through rim 15 of acetabular cup 5 in an “outside-in” manner (i.e., fromacetabular shelf 16 to cortical bone bed 31). See FIG. 2. This actionallows blood to be released, via hole 45, from the underlying cancellousbone to cortical bone bed 31 (against which detached tissue 17 will bere-attached).

If desired, curved drill guide 35 may be of the sort disclosed in U.S.Patent Publication No. US 2013/0296864, which patent application ishereby incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, other curveddrill guides of the sort well known in the art may be used.

If desired, flexible drill bit 40 may be of the sort disclosed in theaforementioned U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2013/0296864.Alternatively, other flexible drill bits of the sort well known in theart may be used.

The foregoing process is then preferably repeated a number of times soas to provide a plurality of holes 45 extending through rim 15 ofacetabular cup 5 (i.e., from acetabular shelf 16 to cortical bone bed31), whereby to provide robust microfracture therapy to cortical bonebed 31 (against which detached tissue 17 is to be re-attached).

Next, and looking now at FIG. 3, a suture passer 55 is used to pass aloop 60 of suture 65 through detached tissue 17, whereby to present loop60 of suture 65 adjacent to the mouth of a hole 45 (see FIG. 4).Preferably loop 60 of suture 65 is passed through detached tissue 17 sothat suture 65 does not extend through the articular side 70 of detachedtissue 17.

If desired, the suture passer may be of the sort disclosed in U.S.Patent Publication No. 2014/0012292, which patent application is herebyincorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, other suture passers ofthe sort well known in the art may be used.

Then, as seen in FIG. 5, a suture retriever 75 is advanced,“outside-in”, through a hole 45 formed in rim 15 of acetabular cup 5(i.e., from acetabular shelf 16 to cortical bone bed 31). Using sutureretriever 75, one leg 76 of loop 60 of suture 65 is drawn, “inside-out”,through a hole 45 of acetabular cup 5 (i.e., from cortical bed 31 toacetabular shelf 16), in the manner shown in FIG. 6.

If desired, suture retriever 75 may be of the sort disclosed in U.S.Patent Publication No. 2014/0012292. Alternatively, other suture passersof the sort well known in the art may be used.

As seen in FIG. 7, the two legs 76, 77 of loop 60 of suture 65 are thenknotted on the outside of rim 15 of acetabular cup 5 (e.g., adjacent toacetabular shelf 16), whereby to secure detached tissue 17 in positionagainst cortical bone bed 31. Note that inasmuch as the holes 45 formedin rim 15 of acetabular cup 5 allow blood to be released from theunderlying cancellous bone to cortical bone bed 31 (against whichdetached tissue 17 is re-attached), enhanced tissue re-attachment may beachieved. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that inasmuch as loop 60of suture 65 is passed through detached tissue 17 so that suture 65 doesnot extend through articular side 70 of detached tissue 17, femoral head10 will not be subjected to abrasion during movement due to engagementwith suture 65.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show another form of the present invention. Essentially,the concept shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is similar to that shown in FIGS.1-7, except that (i) suture 65 passes completely through detached tissue17, so as to open on articular side 70 of detached tissue 17, and (ii)suture limb 77 extends through labrum 20, whereby to draw labrum 20against rim 15 of acetabular cup 5. In one embodiment, suture 65 isbioresorbable. This is advantageous in that once suture 65 degrades itwill no longer be a potential source of abrasion against femoral head10. Suture 65 may comprise a braided or monofilament construction. Thesize of suture 65 is preferably between #7-0 and #2, and more preferablybetween #3-0 and #6-0. It will be appreciated that a higher suturetension may cause suture 65 to pull through detached tissue 17;therefore, a light tension is preferably applied to suture 65 so as tosecure detached tissue 17 to cortical bone bed 31 without damagingdetached tissue 17.

FIGS. 10-17 show another form of the present invention. In this form ofthe invention, and looking first at FIGS. 10 and 11, curved drill guide35 and flexible drill bit 40 are used to form multiple holes 45 throughrim 15 of acetabular cup 5, advancing with an “outside-in” approach(i.e., from acetabular shelf 16 to cortical bone bed 31). Then detachedtissue 17 is moved toward cortical bone bed 31 (FIG. 12) which, asdiscussed above, is wetted with the blood released from the underlyingcancellous bone due to the microfracture therapy provided by bone holes45. Next, suture passer 55 is advanced through one of the holes 45 inrim 15 of acetabular cup 5 and through detached tissue 17 (FIGS. 13 and14). Then suture passer 55 is withdrawn, leaving loop 60 of suture 65 onthe articular side 70 of detached tissue 17, with suture strands 76, 77extending back through detached tissue 17 and holes 45 in acetabular rim15. Next, suture retriever 75 is passed through another of the holes 45in rim 15 of acetabular cup 5 and through detached tissue 17, and thenthe suture retriever is used to withdraw one leg 77 of suture loop 60back to the exterior of rim 15 of acetabular cup 5 (FIGS. 15 and 16).Then the two legs 76, 77 of suture 65 are knotted (e.g., adjacent toacetabular rim 16), whereby to hold detached tissue 17 against rim 15 ofacetabular cup 5 (FIG. 17).

If desired, the surgeon may use an injection device 85 to inject abiological substance 90 into the space between detached tissue 17 andcortical bone bed 31 of acetabular cup 5. The surgeon can access thisspace through one of the holes 45 drilled through rim 15 of acetabularcup 5. For example, as shown in FIG. 18, an injection device 85comprising a shaft 91 is inserted through one of the holes 45 in rim 15of acetabular cup 5 so that the distal tip of injection device 85 ispositioned in the space between detached tissue 17 and cortical bone bed31 of acetabulular cup 5. The biological substance 90 is then injectedinto the space between detached tissue 17 and cortical bone bed 31 ofacetabulular cup 5. The injection of biological substance 90 preferablyoccurs after at least one hole 45 is drilled through rim 15 ofacetabular cup 5 and after suture 60 is passed through detached tissue17, but prior to detached tissue 17 being secured to the bone.Alternatively, the injection of biological substance 90 can occur beforesuture 60 is passed through detached tissue 17, or after detached tissue17 is secured to the bone. The biological substance may comprise fibringlue. Alternatively, the biological substance may comprise platelet richplasma (PRP), stem cells, cartilage particles (e.g., ACI—AutologousChondrocyte Implantation, Allograft Chondrocyte Implantation), BoneMorphogenetic Protein 7 (BMP7) also known as Osteogenic Protein-1(OP-1), or another biological substance which either enables there-attachment of the detached tissue to the bone and/or generates newcartilage. If desired, pressure can be applied (e.g., with an inflatedballoon, a manual instrument, etc.) to the articular side 70 of detachedtissue 17 after the biological substance has been injected so as toenhance the distribution and surface contact of biological substance 90.

In another form of the invention, and looking now at FIGS. 19 and 20,curved drill guide 35 may include an aiming guide 95 for indicating thelocation at which flexible drill 40 bit would exit detached tissue 17 ifflexible drill bit 40 were to be drilled all the way through detachedtissue 17. More particularly, aiming guide 95 comprises an elongatedshaft 100 having a proximal end 105 and a distal end 110. Proximal end105 of aiming guide 95 is secured to curved drill guide 35 so that (i)distal end 110 of aiming guide 95 is substantially aligned with distalend 36 of curved drill guide 35, and (ii) distal end 110 of aiming guide95 is spaced from distal end 36 of curved drill guide 35. Thus, a gapexists between distal end 110 of aiming guide 95 and distal end 36 ofcurved drill guide 35. This gap is sized so as to be large enough toaccommodate the relevant portion of the acetabulum and any other tissue(e.g., cartilage 30, labrum 20, the “transition zone” 25 betweencartilage 30 and labrum 20, etc.) which may be disposed between distalend 36 of curved drill guide 35 and distal end 110 of aiming guide 95when distal end 36 of curved drill guide 35 is positioned against theacetabulum for drilling through the acetabulum.

In use, curved drill guide 35, with its aiming guide 95 attached, ismoved into position so that distal end 36 of curved drill guide 35approaches the acetabulum and distal end 110 of aiming guide 95approaches the relevant portion of the acetabulum and any other tissue(e.g., cartilage 30, labrum 20, the “transition zone” 25 betweencartilage 30 and labrum 20, etc.) which may be disposed between distalend 36 of curved drill guide 35 and distal end 110 of aiming guide 95.Thus, distal end 36 of curved drill guide 35 will be located in theregion of acetabular shelf 36 where flexible drill bit 40 will enter thebone, and distal end 110 of aiming guide 95 will be located on thearticular side of the acetabulum and any adjacent tissue (e.g.,cartilage 30, labrum 20, the “transition zone” 25 between cartilage 30and labrum 20, etc.). Distal end 36 of curved drill guide 35 is thenadvanced to the surface of acetabular shelf 16 while watching thedisposition of distal end 110 of aiming guide 95 so as to ensure thatthe bone hole 45 will be drilled along the desired line. Once distal end36 of curved drill guide 35 is securely positioned against acetabularshelf 16 and its proper positioning confirmed by observing the positionof distal end 110 of aiming guide 95, drilling of bone holes 45 may beappropriately effected.

Preferably flexible drill bit 40 passes completely through theacetabulum but stops short of any other tissue (e.g., cartilage 30,labrum 20, the “transition zone” 25 between cartilage 30 and labrum 20,etc.) which may be disposed on the articular side of the acetabulum. SeeFIG. 20. This may be accomplished by providing a stop 115 on flexibledrill bit 40 (which engages a corresponding portion 120 of curved drillguide 35) so as to limit distal travel of flexible drill bit 40. By wayof example but not limitation, research has shown that the tissue on thearticular side of the actetabulum (e.g., cartilage 30, labrum 20, the“transition zone” 25 between cartilage 30 and labrum 20, etc.) isapproximately 1-3 mm thick in the region where flexible drill bit 35 isto pass through the acetabulum—therefore, stop 115 can be set so as tostop distal movement of flexible drill bit 35 approximately 1-3 mm fromdistal end 110 of aiming guide 95.

FIGS. 21 and 22 show additional approaches for securing detached tissue17 (e.g., cartilage 30, labrum 20, the “transition zone” 25 betweencartilage 30 and labrum 20, etc.) to the articular side of theacetabulum (i.e., to cortical bone bed 31).

More particularly, in FIG. 21, it will be seen that a length of suture65 may be passed through one microfracture hole 45, through the detachedtissue 17 (e.g., cartilage 30, labrum 20, the “transition zone” 25between cartilage 30 and labrum 20, etc.), and then back out throughanother microfracture hole 45. Additionally, an anchor hole 125 may bedrilled into the acetabulum and a suture anchor 130 and its associatedsuture 135 used to draw labrum 20 back onto rim 15 of the acetabulum.Preferably, microfracture holes 45 coincide with suture anchor hole 125such that suture anchor 130 will additionally secure the suture 65(which passes through detached tissue 17) to the bone. In other words,the detached tissue repair suture 65 will pass between suture anchor 130and anchor hole 125 such that suture anchor 130 will secure suture 65against the side wall of anchor hole 125.

Alternatively, in FIG. 22, it will be seen that a suture 65 may bepassed through one microfracture hole 45, through detached tissue 17(e.g., cartilage 30, labrum 20, the “transition zone” 25 between thecartilage and the labrum, etc.), and then back out through anothermicrofracture hole 45, and then the suture lengths 76, 77 may be madesecure in their respective microfracture holes 45 using anchors 140(e.g., simple interference screw anchors, push-in “plug-type” anchors,etc.).

Since microfracture hole(s) 45 is/are open at both ends (i.e., atacetabular shelf 16 and cortical bone bed 31), it may be desirable todirect the blood flowing from microfracture hole(s) 45 to flow only (orsubstantially only) towards cortical bone bed 31 (where it is intendedto flow for the microfracture benefits described above), and not towardsacetabular shelf 16 (where it does not have a benefit, inasmuch asacetabular shelf 16 does not comprise soft tissue). This may beaccomplished by placing plugs (e.g., anchors 140) within microfracturehole(s) 45 at (or near to) the end(s) of hole(s) 45, approximate toacetabular shelf 16. Plugging the end(s) of hole(s) 45 may also beaccomplished by injecting a material (e.g., fibrin glue) into theacetabular shelf end(s) of hole(s) 45 so as to fill those end(s) ofhole(s) 45.

Modifications of the Preferred Embodiments

It should be understood that many additional changes in the details,materials, steps and arrangements of parts, which have been hereindescribed and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the presentinvention, may be made by those skilled in the art while still remainingwithin the principles and scope of the invention. By way of example butnot limitation, although hole(s) 45 of the “outside-in” microfracturetherapy of the present invention has/have been described as being formedusing a drilling process (e.g., using curved drill guide 35 and flexibledrill bit 40), the “outside-in” hole(s) 45 can be formed by other means,e.g., by impacting the flexible drill bit so as to penetrate the bone,or by impacting another instrument so as to penetrate the bone, etc.Furthermore, if desired, drill guide 35 may not be curved, and/or drillbit 40 may not be flexible. These and other variations of the presentinvention are considered to be within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for providing therapy to anatomy of apatient and attaching soft tissue to a bone of the patient, wherein theanatomy comprises an acetabulum, wherein the acetabulum comprises anacetabular shelf on a first side of the acetabulum and the acetabularcup on a second side of the acetabulum, wherein the acetabular cupcomprises a cortical bone bed, wherein cancellous bone extends betweenthe acetabular shelf and the cortical bone bed, the method comprising:forming a first bone hole, wherein the first bone hole is formed byentering at the acetabular shelf on the first side of the acetabulum,passing through the cancellous bone and exiting at the cortical bone bedon the second side of the acetabulum, such that blood may flow from thecancellous bone to a surface of the cortical bone bed on the second sideof the acetabulum, whereby blood may clot at the surface of the corticalbone bed on the second side of the acetabulum; forming a second bonehole, wherein the second bone hole is formed by entering at theacetabular shelf on the first side of the acetabulum, passing throughthe cancellous bone and exiting at the cortical bone bed on the secondside of the acetabulum, such that blood may flow from the cancellousbone to the surface of the cortical bone bed on the second side of theacetabulum, whereby blood may clot at the surface of the cortical bonebed on the second side of the acetabulum; and attaching soft tissue tothe cortical bone bed on the second side of the acetabulum, wherein thesoft tissue is attached to the cortical bone bed on the second side ofthe acetabulum by (i) passing a suture into the first bone hole from theacetabular shelf on the first side of the acetabulum and out at thecortical bone bed on the second side of the acetabulum, (ii) passing thesuture through the soft tissue on the second side of the acetabulum, and(iii) withdrawing the suture from the cortical bone bed on the secondside of the acetabulum, through the second bone hole and out at theacetabular shelf on the first side of the acetabulum so that a first legof the suture extends into the first bone hole from the acetabular shelfon the first side of the acetabulum and out of the cortical bone bed onthe second side of the acetabulum, an intermediate portion of the sutureextends through the soft tissue positioned at the cortical bone bed onthe second side of the acetabulum, and a second leg of the sutureextends into the second bone hole from the cortical bone bed on thesecond side of the acetabulum and out of the acetabular shelf on thefirst side of the acetabulum.
 2. A method according to claim 1 whereinat least one of the first bone hole and the second bone hole are formedusing a drill bit.
 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the drillbit is flexible.
 4. A method according to claim 2 wherein the drill bitis advanced through a drill guide.
 5. A method according to claim 4wherein the drill guide is curved.
 6. A method according to claim 1wherein the soft tissue comprises at least one from the group consistingof cartilage, labrum, and labral/chondral junction.
 7. A methodaccording to claim 1 wherein the suture is passed through the first bonehole and through the soft tissue using a suture passer.
 8. A methodaccording to claim 1 wherein the second leg of the suture is passedthrough the second hole using a suture retriever.
 9. A method accordingto claim 1 wherein the intermediate portion of the suture opens on anarticular side of the soft tissue.
 10. A method according to claim 1wherein the suture does not pass through the labrum of the patient. 11.A method according to claim 1 wherein the first leg of the suture issecured to the second leg of the suture adjacent the acetabular shelf.12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the first leg of the sutureis secured to the second leg of the suture with a knot.
 13. A methodaccording to claim 1 further comprising deploying a biological substancebetween the cortical bone bed and the soft tissue.
 14. A methodaccording to claim 13 wherein the biological substance comprises onefrom the group consisting of fibrin glue, platelet rich plasma (PRP),stem cells, cartilage particles and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 (BMP7).15. A method according to claim 1 further comprising sealing at leastone of the first bone hole and the second bone hole at the acetabularshelf.
 16. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first bone holedoes not intersect the second bone hole.
 17. A method according to claim1 further comprising tying the first leg of suture and the second leg ofsuture into a knot, wherein the knot is positioned adjacent theacetabular shelf.